


Do Not Stumble

by MCUsic_to_my_ears



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Afterlife, Angst, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Confusion, Gen, Goodbyes, Grief/Mourning, Hurt Tony Stark, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Panic, Pepper Potts Is a Good Bro, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Protective Peter Parker, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-02-10 21:44:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18668971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCUsic_to_my_ears/pseuds/MCUsic_to_my_ears
Summary: ENDGAME SPOILERS CONTAINEDTony learns to say goodbye.





	Do Not Stumble

Tony sat on cool, limestone steps. Phantom scars cringed as he lifted himself to his feet. Breeze rushing through his hair, he raised a hand to his head to shield his eyes from the blinding sun. 

"Where the hell...?" 

He turned away from the downward heading steps, the end not in sight, to the top. He was only a couple dozen steps from a smooth, obsidian structure, the only dark object in his surroundings. The steps were white and, come to think of it, so was his outfit. He wore a button down with his sleeves partially rolled up and slacks. 

_ “Tony,” _ a voice called. Quiet. Familiar. 

The engineer whipped around, but the origin of the voice was nowhere to be seen. The silence surrounded him again. He wrapped his arms around his middle before immediately jolting away. Tony looked down to see blood spreading through the fabric. He reached for it, trying to stop the sudden bleeding, but his arm was charred, pained. He gasped in pain, eyes glazing over. Blood dripped from his mouth. 

"How?"

_ “Tony!" _

"Hello?" 

His vision was starting to blackout. 

"Come up here, Tony."

_ ”Mr. Stark?" _

The new voice compelled him down the steps, blood trailing behind him. Each step, another name reminding him he had to climb down.  _ Morgan. Pepper. Peter. Rhodey. Steve. Nebula. Happy. _ And on and on the list went. Every life he was willing to give his own for. Every soul he equivocated with gold. Every last friend he had kept and lost. 

He climbed down the stairs, and the voices reached out to him. He heard his mother above him, promising her affection. He heard Morgan below him, squealing her love. 

Hours he climbed, the steps becoming rockier and darker. The sun only rose higher. Tony panted heavily, trying to stop the blood. 

_ Harley. Clint. Rocket. Bruce. Nick. Wanda.  _ The names coursed through him, a mantra, lifting the weight off his shoulders. Tears slide down his face. He knew this was goodbye. 

The carefully carved steps had become steep rubble. He collapsed, coughing, blood spurting onto his shirt. 

The sun began to set. 

"I love you, Morgan. Pete. Oh, my god, Pep. I love you all," he sobbed. "I love you." It was dark. 

_ "We'll be okay. You can rest now." _

"Pep..." Tony whispered, his eyes fluttering shut. 

 

***

 

"Tony? Tony, sweetheart, wake up."   
The sun was rising. He dragged his eyes open, crusted shut by his tears. He scrambled to his feet, breathing heavily, his shirt clinging to his gashed skin. He coughed. 

"Mom?"

Maria smiled at her son. "It's been so long baby."

"But you're-?"

She smiled sadly. "So are you."

He swallowed, looking back to the debris at his feet. It stretched for miles. 

"Come on, sir." 

"Jarvis?"

The skin around the butler's eyes crinkled warmly. "It's time to go, sir." 

Jarvis reached out a hand and so did the man standing next to him. 

"Vis?"

"Hey, dad," the android greeted.

"Welcome, we missed you."

"You too." He felt a lump form in the back of his throat. He closed his eyes, trying to breathe, when he felt thin arms wrap around him. “Ты идиот,” Natasha murmured, shaking her head. Tony felt tears run down his face. 

"Let's go home, Tones," Maria encouraged once Natasha let go, her hair now long and pure red. Her white sundress shifted in the wind. 

"But Pep-" 

"You'll see her again someday," his mother promised. She clasped his hands. "All of them. Come home."

"Okay," he croaked. 

The quartet began to lead him up the stairs. 

A dozen steps up, Tony paused, looking back at the rubble. The sun was high again and the window he has rested in was gone. He looked forward, to the dark structure above. 

"Goodbye," he whispered. "I love you." Natasha squeezed his hand. 

**Author's Note:**

> Ты идиот = you idiot
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks to my beta, Mxy!


End file.
